About the Author

As a lifelong avid hiker, and past forestry volunteer, my blog is dedicated to sharing Northern California trails with photos, maps, driving directions, difficulty ratings, elevation changes, trail conditions, and related tips. At http://peachyhiker.blogspot.com/, read about everything from swimming in
glacier lakes alongside the melting snow to being stranded overnight in the wilderness. Find trails to hike and backpack in Northern California and related topics. For those unable to get to these places, my goal is to help you experience what I do vicariously. Occasionally other related topics are addressed.

I am here for culture, information, inspiration, wisdom, knowledge, encouragement, humor, and to share some of each with you too.

On Google+ find photos and subject matter I am committed to or sharing for qualities I appreciate.

An excellent handbook for athletes with information my podiatrist never discussed or considered as part of my treatment! Included are diagrams, photos, preventative measures, and treatments. Saving my feet is saving my backpacking!

Great directions, lots of descriptions and options. Map segments are included, photographs, difficulty ratings, days to hike, mileage, elevations, optional side treks, camping, how secluded an area is or isn't, parking, and historical info...

Ed Webster gives a detailed account of his bid to summit Mount Everest without all of the people and support most mountaineers' have the advantages of. They went without oxygen, without the usual host of sherpas to set up all of the camps ...

Yes, I know it sounds morbid to read a book of accounts of nearly 900 deaths in a forest over all its years in existence, but I learned so much and who knows, one of those lessons may save me either through awareness and knowledge, or throu...

A combination of journal style writing and subject overviews and information about the family's planning and trek on the PCT. Adventures, challenges, pitfalls and successes they experienced and information to help hopeful trekkers succeed ...

Great hikes in and around Georgetown, CA with driving and parking directions, difficulty ratings, features to look for, hand drawn maps, and distances from Georgetown for reference. Nice pocket book to carry along! On the flip side, I woul...

The frightening tale of a man left for dead and his miraculous survival is engaging, alarming, and sometimes I just couldn't put it down. The details of his life, all the way back into his childhood, got a little tedious for me. I found h...

July 16, 2016

Experience miles of Grouse Ridge trails for backpacking, hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, and swimming in many of the lakes.

And take in the views!

One view from the ridge. I bet if you zoom you could see Mt Shasta too.

For my son's first backpacking trip, we toured
the Grouse Ridge area. We started out with a warm up hike
to the old lookout. Surprise!
It is being refurbished to offer
as a rental. I would use it.
In good weather, visitors might see
all the way to Mt Shasta.
We did!

Grouse Ridge Lookout

To hike to the lookout, walk south up the dirt road that forks
uphill off of the dirt road to the trailhead parking.
There is a closed gate without parking,
so plan snacks and water for a mile or so
uphill along the road, and the return hike down.
Trust me ~ it is worth the extra time and effort!

Wildflowers are blooming in profusion, so get up there soon if you enjoy these seasonal shows!

We had the pleasure of some snow blankets to play on,
although who knows how long they will last.

Mt Shasta is back there if you can zoom, though it is just a blur, you can tell it is the snowy peak.

Views from Grouse Ridge Lookout.

After exploring and taking photos, we headed down
to start our backpacking trip. Near the trailhead,
there are car camping spots that have been greatly improved, and
are well marked with tables, campfire rings, and level tent spots.

Widow maker's truck hikers pass near the start of the trail. Each trip, I photograph the truck, which used to be red! Moral of the story: Do not park under a dead tree!

Since my son was out for a first backpacking trip,
and most likely over-packed,
we needed a shorter hike. Just hiking to Milk Lake
to set camp seemed great, then we could hike
to many other lakes without all the gear.

A view of Milk Lake from the use trail that exists now,
breaking off from the main trail before the tree fall.

We missed this sign.
A tree has fallen that blocks the old trail to Milk Lake,
our preferred route and maybe our campsite.

Milk Lake from the north hillside. That little patch of snow is under the trailhead.

Grouse Ridge Trails are well marked as a rule.
We weren't thrilled to keep going
not having seen Milk Lake, but we bravely marched onward.

The trails are mostly shady, and there are enough tree falls to rest here and there.

Round Lake, Grouse Ridge Lakes Basin, California

We set camp near Long Lake, but Round Lake
would be fantastic. We spent time there swimming
wishing for our fishing poles.

The south side of Long Lake is pretty shallow and marshy,
but the up side is it is warmer water for swimming and we enjoyed it.
We packed up to hike out, but the smoke
we had noticed while swimming seemed thicker.

The wildflowers were still a treat, but you can see the grey
skies moving in. My throat was scratchy.

On our way in we could see Mt Shasta, and on our way out,
we could hardly see the close mountain ranges.

This map shoes Carr-Feeley TH and many of the lakes in the basin.

Distance: 2 mi round trip or many more.Difficulty: Easy to moderate, according to your choice. I have been comfortable taking an outdoorsy child who can hike at least 1 mile in downhill and then 1 mile out uphill. They would enjoy the lakes. There may be some tree falls to climb over or go around, and strollers are out of the question. It is an excellent place for backpacking with youngsters.Driving Directions: Get onto Highway 20 West from Highway 80 west of Donner. Turn right onto Bowman Lake Road, cross the South Fork Yuba River and turn right on Grouse Ridge Road (Forest Road 14). It is 6 miles.

Advisories: The road is dirt and in some places my car did hit bottom this time. We made it; I would do it again. Use your judgement. Camping and hiking are free, no permit required. In the fall be sure to check hunting season dates.

This marks the place you will either park or turn right and park at a junction of three roads.

DIRECTIONS:

1.Take Highway 193 from Highway 49 toward Georgetown, California.

2.If you are coming from Highway 50, turn right on Traverse Creek Road, or from Highway 80, turn left on Traverse Creek Road.

3.Take Bear Creek Road to the right and pass Bear Creek Picnic area on the right (although this is a good place to stop and use restrooms since there aren't any at the trailhead).

4.Continue for 0.7 miles to Forest Service Road 12N81 on the right, visible due to park signs posted.

5.In winter park in the wide area on your left, and walk straight down the Forest Service Road until you come to the junction of three roads. In months the road is open you can drive back and park along here.

6.Walk straight ahead and you will see a small post on your slight right at the One Eye Creek trailhead. Follow this trail all the way to the falls.

At the beginning of the trail, there was scrub brush on either side,
but the trail itself was clear and wouldn't be confused with animal trails. At
one point it opened out into a small sunny meadow, but most of the area had
manzanita and other brush.

Early on One Eye Creek Trail, these stickery bushes and vines had grown over the trail
and caught on our backs and backpacks which made them a nuisance. The terrain
is hilly and not too steep for any length of time until you descend to the
creek and waterfalls. There was less poison oak in that area, except where the
sun had more access to the trail. In May wildflowers were blooming.

A nice shady section is a tunnel.

And next is the most wild of all, the seeming meadow that when you look closely, you discover it is mostly poison oak!

About a mile into the trail you come to the "mine" shown below
which is actually only a few feet deep, but a trail hazard that is fenced in
with a small trail down the hill for hikers to see in.

The rolling trail finally opened up into this beautiful, cooler forest area that goes until you traverse downward to the creek. Keep in mind it is deceiving because you are heading downward and on your return you will be heading upward, though slightly, you feel it.

.
After hiking all the way in, we had to bushwhack a little, but this time
wasn't too bad.

Going in we hiked the steady
downhill and fairly easy trail. From about a mile away from the creek, we began
to hear the waterfalls! As we made our way closer, the trail got steeper, and
the pine needles were thickly layered and are sometimes slippery. Hiking poles and good shoes
helped me navigate this section more safely.

This
section of trail could be dangerous due to steep slippery hills.It makes having inexperienced hikers,
inadequate equipment, or having children present inadvisable.Lat/Long:38.82396, -120.759

It has been reported that the falls have been as much as 100 feet wide in
flood stage. Here, there was a powerful current and as you can see, a large
stretch of the 100 feet was, in fact, covered. The falls have also been
estimated to be only a 25 foot drop, but with the current rushing almost
violently, they were quite impressive! To get to the bottom you had to creek cross and then climb down. Others were there so we stayed up top beside the creek.

Our picnic spot along Bear Creek.

On our way out, we had to travel upward, and it felt steep and challenging
in the wet, and especially with the weight of a backpack. Hiking poles really
helped me there, too!

Another alert: If you sat
anywhere along the trail, it was on the damp ground with pine needles or poison
oak! We also noted ticks, so check yourselves when you get out and wash
all of your gear.

For fun here are some photos of wildflowers that were blooming:

This was a very worthwhile hike! On this trail, I have never met other hikers until this trip, when only two guys passed us, suggesting it gets little traffic, but the trail was in overall adequate condition. The views were memorable, and the trail was well marked. It isn't
for the casual city hiker, due to the length and the difficulty near the falls.
The elevation changes also required fitness, and being accustomed to ups and
downs. Take some food, wear good hiking shoes with deep tread, and maybe take
something dry to sit on in case it’s wet. Again, my hiking poles were helpful,
especially on the climb out of the creek canyon. I wouldn't advise taking kids
due to length, safety and difficulty level, until you have done the hike
yourself and can make your own judgment about their abilities. Don't forget the
camera!

February 11, 2016

For a trail to get your cardiac workout on, and for now, a view of the snow-capped Sierras, this is your best hike in the Sacramento and surrounding area.

This sign is at the bottom of the Training Hill, but it isn't too late to take the easy trail to the left. (WST is Western States Trail, also known as Wendell T Robie.)

Distance: The Training Hill is 2.4 miles out and back from the trailhead. You can extend this hike to much more using other options including the Olmstead Loop and Western States Trail. Check Wikiloc or EveryTrail for GPS tracks.Difficulty: This one is short, but unless you are already fit, it is a hard one. The trail is a rocky, washed out, mess. Really fun for hiking-fitness enthusiasts! This honestly is the best possible training hike near the valley. ASRA reports the grade at 16%-30% in 1.2 miles. You will LOVE the 16% breaks!Advisories:

Poison oak in this area.

Steep and has poor footing. Take care to evaluate what you and your group are up to.

Horses are allowed on these trails. Please defer to them if you meet them along your way.

Bears and cougars have been seen in the area in the past. Keep your eyes open. Keep your dog with you for safety.

Driving Directions:From I-80 take the exit marked CA-49S (toward Placerville) and 193E (toward Georgetown). You will turn left at the signal just off the freeway onto Elm and at the next signal you will turn left again. Follow the signs to CA49 and 193. When you see the river, watch for the split where you can go straight ahead or across the river. When you cross it, park along the right hand side (for free, while all other nearby parking has fees). Park a bit diagonally as a courtesy to fit as many cars as possible along that stretch and to make it easier for everyone to get out back onto the road.
If you are coming from CA-50, you can use CA-49N, following signs to Auburn and Cool. The road will have hairpin turns shortly before you reach the parking mentioned above, just before crossing the river. (You can GPS from your location to Cool, then continue on 49 to this parking).

The "No Hands" Bridge, or "Railroad Quarry" Bridge

To Hike: Go through green gate 150 near the parking along the highway, next to the river. Head toward the Quarry Bridge, a beautiful historic bridge with classic arches. Look down into the river you see old mining remnants.

This shot was taken standing on the Quarry Bridge looking back to the CA-49 bridge.

Just before the No Hands Bridge there is a narrow trail heading off to the left which has a sign marking mileage for Cool or Auburn, which points you toward the Training Hill and WST (Western States Trail, also referred to on some maps and signs as the Wendell T Robie Trail.) The trail doubles back toward the road and through the trees and you can see the bridge and river.

This part of the trail is easy with some ups and downs.

Arriving at the fork of the WST and the Training Hill, there is a sign you can't miss. You can get an idea of the difficulty, keeping in mind the trail rises sharply, but does have level sections.

WST is to the left and the Training Hill to the right. It is grueling going up until you are in great condition, and going down is....grueling. If you see the Training Hill and get intimidated, you can hike up the WST. It is beautiful and fairly easy.

Brace yourselves!

Some sections are wet, slippery at this time (February), with wet pine needles adding to slick footing. There is significant water damage to the trail that helps me with footing.

The photos do not capture the steepness of the hill~just sayin'. Be prepared.

This is a wonderful spot and in person the view is

refreshing as you hike the mile upward.

A lot of the trail has stickers and shrubs beside it but there are

some openings and small meadow areas to rest in.

Like I said, the camera can't capture what the eye can. You can enjoy Sierra snow caps from this large meadow to the left of the trail near the top.
The fact that it was wet and slippery in some sections made me take small steps and traverse to avoid falling. This is hard on knees too so if you have even an older knee injury, at least bring a brace just in case. Hiking poles help avoid slips too.

Olmstead Loop at the top of the Training Hill in Auburn, CA.

Olmstead Loop is, in fact, a loop that begins at the top of the hill which winds through trees but is a giant meadow area. From it you can return to the cars following signs to the WST to Auburn (this way is 4.7 miles, and less steep) and by taking the first trail that forks to the left through the meadow. Its the shortest trail to WST that looks a bit narrow, very well traveled, still heading southeast, then nearer the trees will end up heading basically north. The WST will run parallel to the highway when it gets near the parking, but its up higher and in the trees. Or just hike down the Training Hill.Wikiloc has tracks for this hike.